


Taking Risks Is Overrated (Usually)

by AceOnIce



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst with a Happy Ending, Artist Anxiety | Virgil Sanders, Fluff, Gay Anxiety | Virgil Sanders, Logic | Logan Sanders Has Feelings, M/M, Nerd Logic | Logan Sanders, barely any angst, just virgil being an anxious baby, obviously
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-25
Updated: 2019-10-25
Packaged: 2021-01-02 21:51:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,576
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21168449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AceOnIce/pseuds/AceOnIce
Summary: Virgil's favorite place on campus is always deserted. Until, one day, it's not.





	Taking Risks Is Overrated (Usually)

**Author's Note:**

> Y'all... I've never written this much fan-fiction. I certainly didn't expect to write Analogical before Prinxiety, but here we are. It's midnight and I have anxiety so I channeled it into Virgil. Enjoy!

Virgil's favorite place at his university was the library. Specifically a table hidden away at the back of the fourth floor with the most comfortable chairs. A table that Virgil had never encountered another person at- until now.

Virgil stopped in his tracks, three quarters of the way through an aisle of books about prehistoric times, when he noticed a figure in one of the chairs, leaning over a large book on the table. Before he could turn and make a hasty exit, the person adjusted their glasses and looked up- directly at him. Surrounded by books, he had nowhere to hide. 

"Virgil, isn't it? We shared an English class last semester." It was Logan Sanders, a ridiculously cute boy that Virgil had definitely had a crush on the semester before. Despite the consistent wardrobe of button-down shirts and perfect neckties. Maybe, in part, because of them. Though Virgil would never admit it.

"Uh, yeah. Sorry, I'll find somewhere else."

"I understand, but there is more than enough room for both of us here. I find this to be the best place to study, most students don't know it exists."

That was the point, Virgil thought. He shrugged, took a hesitant step closer. "How did you find it?"

"I was conducting some research on animal life in the Mesozoic Era two months ago. The books I used are in that aisle," Logan gestured to the next aisle over. 

Virgil was stuck on the 'two months ago'. Logan had been coming here for two months, to his favorite spot in the school, and they'd never run into each other? He had to wonder- why now?

"I suppose you're here to study as well?" Logan eyed the backpack slung over one of Virgil's shoulders. 

Remembering that he had hardly moved since Logan had first addressed him, Virgil finally made the decision to take the empty seat. He sat rigid and upright, too nervous to slouch into its comfort like usual, and fidgeted with the sleeves of his hoodie. "I guess if drawing counts? It's for an art class." Of course it was for an art class. What other class would require drawing? Virgil wished the floor would open up and swallow him before he could make any other dumb statements. 

"Of course. Art is invaluable to a well-rounded education and essential to culture as whole. Though, I admit, it's not my forte. I prefer books, science, mathematical equations."

Virgil took his sketchbook out and set it on the table, there was just enough room left for it, but didn't open it. He ran a thumb over its spine, again and again, for something to do that didn't require potentially accidentally revealing his subpar artwork. "I'm not great at it either, but it makes more sense than the quadratic formula."

Logan had gone back to reading, but he looked up at the response. "Negative b plus-minus the square root of b squared minus 4ac over 2a. It's not a difficult equation to remember. To solve for it all you have to do it-"

"No, I know," Virgil said quickly, before he could get a tangent from the other student about about mathematics. "It was just an example."

"Oh. I see. Are you going to draw?" Logan used one hand to adjust his glasses, eyes on the sketchbook.

Virgil pulled the ends of his sleeves of his hands. "I don't like to show people what I'm working on before it's done."

"Then I won't look. I have an exam at four over this material so it's my first priority anyways," Logan returned to the large book on the table.

For a moment, Virgil simply watched. Partly to ensure that Logan was entirely focussed. Partly because, well, he looked really cute with the single strand of hair falling over his forehead, glasses slightly lower on his nose, mouthing the words as he read them with n ease that suggested he'd already memorized it all. Finally Virgil relented, opening his sketchbook, keeping one arm circled out around it as a sort of protection despite how little paper it would have hidden had Logan decided to peak. For some reason Virgil trusted him not to.

Returning to the sketch he'd started earlier was more difficult that Virgil had imagined, his mind kept trailing off with new ideas. His fingers ached to draw something new- someone in particular. After messing up a simple line for a third time, Virgil gave in and turned to a fresh page. Inspiration flowed easier. He sketched the shape of the book first, the worn pages, then the hand that rested on the side of the book. He connected it to the arm, the shoulder, the down-turned face. The shapes were the easiest part, a rectangle here, a circle there. It was more difficult to capture the emotion of complete intrigue Virgil was glimpsing behind the glasses and over the book. He added careful lines to the face, smudging most of them on purpose, and included a slightly unrealistic starry look in the eyes. He hadn't brought any coloring materials with him which he regretted as soon as he'd finished the outline. Black and white was fine usually- often preferred- but he found himself wishing he could replicate the deep blue tie, the shades of brown in the hair, the hazel eyes. It would have to suffice for now. 

Startled out of his thoughts by a sudden shuffling of papers, Virgil looked up to find Logan gathering his things. "You're leaving?" The words escaped without thought. Another obvious statement that must have made Virgil look quite stupid, especially to someone as knowledgable as Logan.

"My class is on the other side of campus. Have you finished your drawing?" Logan forced the large book into his backpack and yanked the zipper up. The pack was bursting at the seems, looking ready to break open any moment by the massive amount of contents inside. 

Virgil looked down at his drawing, still protecting it from view. He wasn't exactly happy with it, he was rarely happy with his own work, but he figured it was a close to being done as it would be. He ripped it out, tearing along the perforation, before he could stop himself. He folded it in two, covering the drawing and tossed it at Logan. "Here. Good luck on your exam."

"Luck is merely a construct used to diminish the accomplishments of others or as an excuse for failure," Logan replied before he started to unfold the paper.

Virgil was already on his feet, suddenly feeling sick about his decision. "Yeah, okay, bye." He grabbed his sketchbook and bolted for the stairs, determined to escape before Logan saw the picture and determined Virgil to be some kind of creep. Or a bad artist. Or both. He didn't feel like waiting around to find out.

He made it to the library doors before a warm hand latched onto his wrist, stopping him before he could make it outside. Virgil spun around, ready to snap at anyone for touching him, but fell silent when he saw it was Logan, sweating and breathing heavily. In his other hand, he was still clutching the drawing. "You drew me."

"Yeah," Virgil shrugged, trying to play it cool. Like he hadn't just run away in fear. "You were an easy subject, you didn't move much."

"Oh." Logan dropped Virgil's wrist and stepped back. He straightened his posture, pushed his hair from his face. "I misunderstood. I apologize, you were probably in a rush to get to class."

"What?" Though he was tempted to escape again, confusion held him in place. 

Logan looked down at the drawing. "I thought it meant something. A romantic gesture of some sort. I don't have much experience with courting so I must have made a mistake about your intentions. It is well-drawn."

Virgil was frozen for a moment, reeling from Logan's explanation. He hadn't been entirely wrong, but why had he chased Virgil all the way to the library entrance if he'd understood? Hope sparked somewhere in Virgil's chest. "Actually, um, you didn't make a mistake."

Logan lifted his gaze, eyebrows raised. "You mean you intended this as--"

"I thought you looked cute. I wanted to draw you every time we had class together." Virgil could feel himself turning red and hoped the foundation he wore was enough to hide it. He tugged his sleeves over his hands again, searching for some sort of comfort.

"In that case, I would like to ask you on a date. Not now, obviously I have an exam that I'm dangerously close to being late for, but later."

A small smile fixed itself on Virgil's face despite his best attempts. "That would, uh- I would like that?"

"Are you free at eight tonight?"

"Yeah."

"Wonderful. I'll meet you here. At eight. Tonight. I have to go." Despite his words, Logan didn't move.

Virgil nodded. "Right. Go, don't miss your exam."

"I would never... I'll see you tonight."

"I'll be here."

With that confirmation, Logan nodded to himself and pushed open the library doors, letting in a gust of hot wind, as he left to sprint across campus. Virgil watched, unable to help his goofy smile at the fact that the biggest nerd he knew had risked being tardy to an examination just to establish a date with him. Maybe, occasionally, every once in a while, taking risks did have some worthwhile rewards.


End file.
